Why use aluminum doubles for ocean diving???

[WYDT]

If you've ever tried to get back in a boat with 8ft seas and double 104's on you'll know one good reason to use AL80's! Been there done that... not fun! :wacko:

I do think if you were doing dives like the Britannic (300+fsw) that larger steel tanks would be prudent. Of course then you would also have a support team, etc. etc.

Re Stages: In cave diving with team members (wkpp) we use stages almost exclusively. Nice to have several stages and be able to go a whole weekend without needing a fill, just using the stages.

 

[WreckWriter]

here we have a guy that drinks LOTS of Kool Aid

WW

 

[MikeFerrara]

I think 4-6 ft seas are about the norm for us in the Great Lakes. I get up the ladder all right with my 104's. If the seas are higher I'm not going. With the weight I would have to add with aluminum tanks I'm not sure I would gain much. And then there is the cold water. I put just a little extra insulation on for a dive a couple weeks ago and left the HID behind if I was any lighter I would need to add weight. When diving dry I'll stick to the 104's.

Maybe someday I'll get to dive somewhere warm enough to dive wet then I'll give double al's a try

 

[runvus4]

If you just use stages almost exclusively all weekend without needing a fill, it's basicly a nice sidemount config you are all using...

 

[LUBOLD8431]

I BREATH my doubles... I use my stages for DECO... Why would you want to wear a set of doubles and then not use them??? Is it just a very large amount of safety or what??? I dont get that... I understand the rule of thirds, but not the rule of DONT BREATHE YOUR BACK GAS!!! and by the way, i use a set of OMS 112's for cave dives and wreck dives.... In new england, 4-6 foot seas is the NORM... i have ZERO problem with lifting my tanks out of the water... Maybe you guys should HIT THE GYM!!! Build up some muscles so you can use a REAL MAN's TANK.... by the way, even some of the WOMEN i dive with use STEEL tanks, and can lift them out of the water... ut:

 

[O-ring]

LUBOLD8431 once bubbled...
I BREATH my doubles... I use my stages for DECO... Why would you want to wear a set of doubles and then not use them??? Is it just a very large amount of safety or what??? I dont get that... I understand the rule of thirds, but not the rule of DONT BREATHE YOUR BACK GAS!!! and by the way, i use a set of OMS 112's for cave dives and wreck dives.... In new england, 4-6 foot seas is the NORM... i have ZERO problem with lifting my tanks out of the water... Maybe you guys should HIT THE GYM!!! Build up some muscles so you can use a REAL MAN's TANK.... by the way, even some of the WOMEN i dive with use STEEL tanks, and can lift them out of the water... ut:

I knew you had to be from the NE...

 

[LUBOLD8431]

I knew you had to be from the NE...

What is that supposed to mean o-ring from arlington, virginia???

 

[LUBOLD8431]

I trained for my deep stuff with a florida boy, just like alot of you guys....

 

[O-ring]

LUBOLD8431 once bubbled...


What is that supposed to mean o-ring from arlington, virginia???

Just all the stuff about macho testosterone divers diving man's tanks...hehe. Reminds me of the old NE cowboy diver stuff you read about in books.

No offense intended..it just gave me a chuckle.

 

[JT2]

Munin once bubbled...
I discussed this with Andrew recently and I am 95% sure he said he was in favor of using stages over steels, as were other GUE instructors. I know that Tech 2 teaches stage diving, and I believe that it is not just as a supplement to steels. A couple of them mentioned having backgas that they haven't used in years because they only breathe the stages.

I don't understand why he would be in favor of using stages over steels, after all, aren't we supposed to keep it as simple as possible? I would think the simplest way would be to wear appropriate sized doubles so that you didn't have the added task of carrying and managing stages. I'm still confused .. I just don't see a good reason for carrying stages when diving dry if you could get the amount of gas needed by carrying larger steels.